Professor Hershel Layton
:''Professor Layton redirects here; for the series, see Professor Layton series.'' Professor Hershel Layton is the title protagonist of the Professor Layton series. He is an archaeologist who lives in London, and is known around the world for his puzzle-solving skills. He teaches archaeology at Gressenheller University, and travels with his 'apprentice' Luke, and begins bringing his adopted daughter Flora with them after the events of their adventure in St. Mystere until the events of Professor Layton and the Unwound Future, where the next trio of games goes back three years before Curious Village. His relationship with Luke Triton is very analogous to the one shared by Sherlock Holmes and Dr John Watson, with Holmes/Layton being the primary, more adept puzzle solver, and Dr Watson/Luke being the less experienced but equally logically minded assistant. Early Life Very little is known about Layton's early life. The little that is known is centered mainly around when he went to university (and now, in Mask Of Miracles, when he was in high school). He says he was taught by Dr. Andrew Schrader, the same man that also taught Don Paolo, who was a year above him. The first part of Layton's past is revealed in Professor Layton and the Unwound Future. Layton went to Gressenheller University, and it was here that he met another student named Claire, the one woman Layton had truly loved (there is another woman named Sharon Leidle that has been shown in Mask of Miracles, but so far it is thought they had a relationship when they were both around 17 years old). She is the person who gave him his signature hat as a gift, to celebrate his new job as a professor. When she died later that same day in an accident, he kept the hat and refuses to remove it from his head, as a sign of respect and devotation to her. It was also during this time when the evil scientist - then college student - Don Paolo became Layton's nemesis. The reason for this was that he too had feelings for Claire, and went insane when he discovered Claire was seeing Layton. Don's hatred towards Layton worsened when Claire died, as he thinks that Layton failed to protect her better that day. His real name is Paul, and in the game, Layton prefers to call him that. When Layton tried to research Claire's part in the accident that the politicians were trying to cover up, he was attacked by thugs and nearly beaten to death in an attempt by the government to cut off the chances of secret information leaking out. After a month of being in a coma, he made a full recovery and returned to his flat, only to find that it had been ransacked and that the little crucial information that he had discovered regarding the accident had been stolen. He gave up on his research to protect himself. Soon after he started work at Gressenheller University, he met Emmy Altava, a young Asian woman, and the two began to work together (when she got a job as his assistant) in order to solve cases. It isn't until Professor Layton and the Specter's Flute, that the professor first encounters Luke Triton. The Specter's Flute Three years before the events of Professor Layton and the Curious Village, Layton recieved a letter from his former colleague Clark Triton. The letter contained a message from Clark informing Layton that a specter has been destroying his village, and that he needs Layton's help to stop it. When Layton and his new assistant Emmy arrive at Mist Haley, they discover that the damage caused by the specter is real but that Clark did not write the letter; it was in fact his son, Luke Triton, who had the ability to predict when and where the specter would strike. Clark and Luke's relationship isn't exactly a good one. The Eternal Diva In the movie, Layton receives a letter from a former student of his, an actress named Jenis Quatlane. Jenis writes that she is performing at an opera house called the Crown Petone, and there have been many strange things happening: her deceased friend Melina has appeared and has claimed to be reborn in the form of a young girl. In addition, two girls from the London area have been reporting missing, and Jenis thinks it is related to what is happening at her theatre. She includes two tickets with the letter. Layton and Luke attend, while Emmy decides to stay in London with Dr. Schrader in search of the missing girls. Layton and Luke arrive at the enormous Crown Petone theatre, which was built on the Atlantic Ocean. Layton and Luke take seats in the front row, and enjoy the opera. After it is over, Layton and Luke begin to clap, but the rest of the audience seems bored. Then, as the stage is cleared, a masked man comes out and begins talking about the Eternal Life. He says that they will all play a game, and whomever wins will get the Eternal Life. The masked man then reveals the losers will die. The audience breaks into mass panic, and soon it becomes up to Layton and Luke to stop the masked man. The Crown Petone turns out to be a massive ship; it breaks away from the shore and sets sail for places unknown... The Mask of Miracles Little has been revealed about this game, but what is known is that Layton and Luke will follow Jean Descole (the main villain from Specter's Flute and Eternal Diva) to the mysterious City of Miracles/Casino City in search of the mask he wears. The City of Miracles/Casino City was created by the powers of the Mask of Miracle. Layton and Luke will uncover the truth about the Mask. After sleuthing around a bit they meet up with Emmy and continue into the house of Layton's old friend, Lando Ascad. More of Layton's past is shown here with flashbacks of a 17-year-old Layton with his hair showing. The game reveals why Layton became an archaeologist in the first place. The Curious Village Luke: ''I don't understand Professor. Why are we going to help solve an inheritance dispute?'' Professor Layton: ''Luke, my boy. Do you really think I would take such an ordinary request as that?'' '-Professor Layton and Luke on their way to St. Mystere.' The game opens with Layton and Luke driving through the countryside. Layton hands Luke a letter. Luke questions why Layton took up a request to solve an inheritance dispute. Layton says that it isn't such an ordinary request as that, and it is a very unique situation. He says it would be best to explain the case before they arrived. Layton explains that 2 months before, one Baron Augustus Reinhold passed away, and that soon after his death, his will was disclosed, and the contents were fasinating. The Reinhold family treasure, the Golden Apple, is hidden somewhere within this village.'' ''To whomever successfuly locates this treasure, I offer the whole of my estate. Those who attended the reading set out to search for the treasure, but all came back empty-handed, and it turned out that no one had even heard of such a treasure existing until the will reading. Layton admires how the baron staked his fortune to create one more puzzle before his death, and he wishes he could have met him while he was alive. Luke thinks that they would have got along quite well, and asks what Layton thinks the Golden Apple is. Layton says that some have said it was a rare antique, or a gem, but nobody really knows. Layton also says that he thinks that this is related to a much larger mystery. Luke hopes that St. Mystere is ready for the famous archaeologist and puzzle-solving detective Layton. Layton laughs, and says that he is no detective. He goes on to say that it was the late baron's wife, Lady Dahlia, was the one who invited them, and that she had come across his name by chance when reading the papers. When Luke says that he immediately took her up on her request, Layton says that a true gentleman 'never refuses the request of a beautiful lady'. Luke rolls his eyes. He doesn't think that he is a gentleman yet. Layton tells Luke to have a look at the map enclosed with the letter. It turns out that the map itself is a puzzle, and Layton tells Luke to solve it, despite solving it quite easily and quicky by himself. He tells Luke to collect his stuff up, since they've arrived. They see that a giant drawbridge is the only way in and out of the village. Wondering what to do, they see a man called Franco on the other side of the river. When they ask him to drop the bridge, he is initially suspicious of dropping the bridge for 'a bunch of fancy-looking outsiders'. But when Layton says they have the letter from Lady Dahlia, he says he will drop it, but only if they help him figure out which slot to put the hand crank in, as the machinery is damaged. He finally lowers the bridge, and the two enter St. Mystere. As they walk to the manor, they encounter Ramon, a servant of Lady Dahlia. He challenges the professor to a puzzle to make sure he isn't talking to an imposter. Layton solves it, and Ramon lets them through. They arrive at the massive Reinhold Manor. Inside, Matthew, the butler, greets them and invites them upstairs to the palour to meet Lady Dahlia. Before they do, however, Luke notices two portraits, one of which he identifies as the late Baron. Matthew sees their interest, and points out that the other portrait is of the baron's daughter, Flora. Don Paolo's Entrance Professor Layton: No Inspector, it has quite a bit to do with you. Inspector Chelmey: Meaning? Professor Layton: ''Isn't it obvious? If there is any criminal element involved in this case... '' Then it is you, sir! '' '''Inspector Chelmey': What?! That's absurd! Luke: Hey! Calm down! Lady Dahlia: ''Hm?'' Inspector Chelmey: ''Grr... What utter rubbish! You'll need more then some daft charge to save your hide!'' '-Professor Layton accusing Inspector Chelmey of being an imposter.' As Layton and Luke continue their search into the night for Ramon, they witness his kidnapping. A strange man stuffs a 'dead' Ramon into a bag; they give chase but are unable to catch him, though they do find another tiny cog, identical to the one before. However, they are befuddled as Ramon is back at Reinhold Manor less then an hour later as if nothing had happened, and claims his absense was because he wanted to do some afternoon shopping. Chelmey dismisses Layton's account of Ramon's abduction, and says that he doesn't need 'a drowsy scholar waking the whole village'. Layton looks none too pleased at this comment, but agrees in mistaking what they saw. Layton and Luke decide to retire to their rooms at the inn for the night. They continue to explore the town the next day, and are eventually led to the town's abandoned amusement park by thumb|right|200pxa ticket dropped on the ground by a mysterious young girl. As they examine the old Ferris Wheel, the sinister figure from earlier uses a remote to tear it from its moorings, sending it rolling after Layton and Luke. They barely escape as the wheel launches off a hill, and lands in the lake, smashing through a locked building. Exploring the wreckage, they find a key shaped to look like the tower hidden behind a photo frame of Flora, and Layton develops an idea of what's going on in the village. Layton decides to head for the tower, but they are summoned to Reinhold Manor by Ramon. The two return to face Chelmey. Chelmey accuses Layton of killing Simon (because Layton supposedly wanted the Golden Apple for himself) by hitting him over the head with a vase covered in Layton's fingerprints. Chelmey tries to arrest Layton for murder, but Layton remembers being offered the same vase by the shopkeeper, who said a mysterious man said to give it to him. Chelmey also demands that Layton hand over the key to the tower, and since there was no way Chelmey could have known about the key unless he was stalking them, Layton realizes that Inspector Chelmey is an imposter. Having had his cover blown, the man tears off his disguise, and reveals himself as Layton's self-proclaimed arch-enemy, Don Paolo, who is seeking the Golden Apple and the Reinhold fortune for himself, and who tried to use the Ferris wheel to knock Layton out of the picture. Paolo makes his escape by leaping out a window before Layton can capture him. When Luke asks what Layton had done to become the arch-rival of Paolo, Layton claims that he has no idea, and that he barely even knows Paolo. The reason why Paolo despises Layton so much is revealed in Unwound Future'...' 'Secrets Revealed' With Luke in tow, Layton heads for the tower, using the key on a secret lock on a wall in a dead end. Inside, they discover the man that previously had kidnapped Ramon, who is named Bruno. With Bruno's help, Layton discovers the truth: all the residents of St. Mystere are robots, created by the Baron and Bruno to challenge the wits of thumb|246px|leftanyone seeking the Golden Apple, hence their shared obsession with puzzles, and that Bruno had collected Ramon for repairs, and that he was searching for Simon. The noises from the tower are Bruno's machines at work; as the robots get older, they need more repairing more often. Simon has not died, only malfunctioned. Having solved the puzzle of St. Mystere, Layton and Luke climb the tower, solving more puzzles, which get trickier along the way, and meeting minor characters. Eventually, the pair reaches the top of the tower, and much to their surprise, find a beautifully-kept cottage there. Inside, the young girl from before awaits. She reveals herself as Flora Reinhold, the only daughter of the Baron. She is the Golden Apple that the robots are protecting because she was the "apple of her father's eye". 'The Tower's Destruction' Layton's triumph is short-lived, as Don Paolo returns in a flying machine and starts demolishing the tower. Luke escapes down the stairs, but debris from above crashes into the stairs and makes escape for Layton and Flora inpossible. After pulling Flora to safety (she failed to stop in time and nearly fell into the hole the debris made, which credits Flora's remark about her father saying that whoever came for her, she could trust with her life) they run back up to the cottage where Layton is forced to make an improvised glider out of a giant globe stand, curtains, a curtain rail, lace from Flora's dress and a chair. They glide off the tower with Don Paolo in pursuit. Whilst swerving out of the way, the curtain rail in the glider smashes into Don Paolo's propellor, damaging both glider and machine. Don's machine tilts over and a bag with Simon inside falls to the ground. The villain swears revenge and leaves, and Layton's glider manages to make it to the ground. It throws Layton and Flora off and smashes into pieces. Flora falls unconcious from the fall, and everyone from the village crowds around her, waiting for her to wake. She does, and hugs the professor and laughs with happiness. As she does, Layton notices an apple-like birthmark that appears on her neck... As they head back to Reinhold Manor, Layton realizes that there is more to the treasure than just Flora, as the birthmark points to the Baron's riches. Luke finds a hidden switch in the shape of an apple on the portrait of Flora, which leads to a secret room filled with gold. 'Flora's Fortune' ''Luke: What an astonishing village that was, Professor!' '''Does this mean you'll be gracing the pages of the London papers again anytime soon? ''Professor Layton: No, Luke. St Mystere's secret must remain between us.'' ''Luke: Huh? Why do you say that?'' Professor Layton: '''You see, my dear boy, w''e wouldn't want anyone making a spectacle of Flora. That wouldn't be right.'' '''Luke: Of course! Always thinking of others! Professor Layton: Of course, Luke. One must always put a lady's needs first. That's what a gentlemen does. '' '-Professor Layton and Luke on their way home from St. Mystere''' A voice recording from the Baron, intended for those who solved the mystery, congratulates Layton, and talks about why he built the village, and that he was told he didn't have much time left; he couldn't bear leaving his only daughter alone in the world. The voice tells Layton to take the treasure, explaining that when it is taken, all the robots will cease functioning. Layton says it's not really his choice, and by right it belongs to Flora. He asks her what she wants to do with it. Flora opts to leave it as a way to repay the robots for their services in protecting her and her new friends. Layton then asks if she will stay in her village. There is no answer, but as the game ends, Layton, Luke, and Flora are seen leaving St. Mystere. While driving across the countryside back to London, the professor tells Luke that their adventure must remain a secret in order to avoid making Flora a public spectacle. The three are shown laughing and living together during the game credits. The Diabolical Box A few weeks after the events of the Curious Village, Professor Layton and Luke go to visit Layton's mentor, Dr. Andrew Schrader, after he informs them by mail that he has come into ownership of the Elysian Box, a legendary box rumored to cause the death of whomever opens it. Schrader wrote that he intends to open it regardless. When they arrive at Dr. Schrader's flat, they find Schrader lifeless on the floor, and the box gone. The only clues that they find are a ticket for the Molentary Express, and a torn-up photograph that is confiscated by Inspector Chelmey as evidence. The Molentary Express Following Layton's hunch, the two take a ride on the Molentary Express to try to follow the clues. On board, they meet up with Chelmey, who is also following the case, and Flora, who has been secretly following the two and wants to come on the adventure with them. 'The Country Village Of Dropstone' The train stops in Dropstone, a small village celebrating its 50th anniversary. As the train makes 'repairs', Layton, Luke, and Flora explore the village, and discover some connection between a recently deceased old lady named Sophia, who founded Dropstone, and the Elysian Box. 'The Phantom Town Of Folsense' While Layton and Luke aren't looking, Flora is kidnapped by Layton's archrival, Don Paolo. He disguises himself and takes Flora's place, leaving her in a barn to wake up long after the train has left. As the trio reboard the train, they see Katia, Sophia's granddaughter, boarding also.The train continues its journey. Layton, Luke, and the faux Flora are drugged into sleep in the train's deluxe car; as the train passes a tunnel, the club car is swapped with the car of another train and sent to a different destination, the abandoned town of Folsense. When they arrive, they walk through a long corridor, the walls filled with, according to Layton, at least thirty year old pictures of the town in it's hey-day. They share a shaky, dizzying moment within the run-down and dilapidated station. As they walk out of it, the station transforms into a grand one of lights and colours. Confused, the three continue on and find Folsense to also have transformed into a bright and glamorous place, though there are few people inhabitating it. Don Paolo, still posing as Flora, complains of ill feeling and asks to stay at the hotel while Layton and Luke explore the town. They learn it was once a gold mining town run by Duke Herzen, who had two sons, Anton and Fredrich. Fustrated with his father's stubborn ways, Fredrich left the town with his part of the family fortune long ago, using it to buy the Molentary Express and to change his name to Mr. Beluga. Folsense also has a strange aura about it, with Layton noticing that the town looks nearly the same as it did in the old photographs in the train station. 'The Secret of the Elysian Box' Don Paolo: ''Nyeh heh heh! Well played, Layton! I'm sure you're very proud of yourself... for seeing through my disguise again!'' '-Don Paolo (As his cover as Flora is being blown)' Chelmey, who has also arrived in Folsense, believes he has identified Schrader's murderer, who he thinks is Sammy, Beluga's nephew, but instead Layton is able to deduce that Flora is really Don Paolo and, though he did not kill Schrader, was after the Elysian Box. Don Paolo claims that Schrader was already out cold when he arrived, and flees the area, pursued by Chelmey and Barton, leading to more questions. In his haste, Paolo drops the box, which Layton collects, recognizing the Herzen family symbol on its lid from the torn photo and the stone tablet at the museum. Despite the apparent curse, Layton and Luke nervously open the box to find it empty. Realizing a deeper mystery, Layton decides to explore the old mine, where he learns in an old miner's diary that a terrible sickness struck the town 50 years ago. The two turn to Herzen Castle, claimed by the residents to be occupied by a vampire. Inside they meet Anton Herzen, the current duke of Folsense who, compared to a 50-year old portrait of himself, seems not to have aged, lending credibility to the vampire claims. Anton becomes suspicious of the two, and ties them up in the castle's cellar. Layton and Luke free themselves, and discover that the castle is built over one of the mine's excavation pits emitting a strange fume. 'The True Folsense' They return to the castle's upper levels and find Katia, who implores for them to leave the castle. The three run into Anton, who sees Katia and becomes bewildered, as she strikingly resembles his sweetheart Sophia, who left him decades ago. Katia, scared of Anton, hides behind Layton, which leads Anton to believe that Sophia left him for Layton. Anton challenges him to a sword-fight, in which Anton loses his breath extremely quickly, despite looking so young. Layton, with help from Katia, is able to solve the mystery. Fifty years ago, while the miners dug for gold, they happened upon a large pocket of a hallucinogenic gas that caused people to believe horrible things awaited them; the townspeople began to become ill as a result. Most residents of the town evacuated, including Sophia. At the time, Sophia was pregnant with Anton's child, but she kept this secret from Anton to spare him more heartache. Their unborn daughter's safety was the sole reason that Sophia had left. Alone and taken by the effect of the gas, Anton continued to imagine the town as pretty and glamourous as it was before the incident. Luke and Layton also inhaled some of the gas when they arrived at the train station, causing them to also imagine the town in its former glory. Katia had come to Folsense to try to break the spell the gas had placed on Anton and bring him back to a normal life, as well as pass on a message from Sophia to him 'A Happy Ending After All' Anton refuses to hear the truth. Being told that Sophia was dead was too much. He lunges towards Layton with his sword madly, and he causes the castle to crumble apart around them by slicing through a chain holding up an enormous chandelier. As they all flee the castle, the chasm below is blocked by debris and the gas becomes less potent. The illusion of Folsense disappears, revealing the long-abandoned, desolate town. Anton, now in his true, aged form, accepts reality and happily unites with Katia. Layton returns the Elysian Box to Anton, explaining that the "curse" of the box was likely due to traces of the gas in the compartment, and those that had died after opening the box were likely affected by a combination of the gas and their own fear. Anton acknowledges that he had the box made, but with a special compartment that only he and Sophia knew how to open. He had put a letter in the box for her after her departure from Folsense, hoping the box would have reached her, but gave up hope after it became legend. However, when he shows Luke how to open it, Anton discovers a reply written by Sophia before her death the year before. In it, Sophia expresses her continued love for him, but that her time was drawing to a close. Her dying wish was for Katia to finally meet her grandfather. Anton vows to spend the rest of his life getting to know Katia better, before joining Sophia on the 'other side'. In the credits, Layton, Luke, Anton, and Katia return to Dropstone, where Anton is reunited for the first time in fifty years with his little brother Beluga, while Layton and Luke locate the real Flora, unharmed from Don Paolo's abduction. On the train trip back home, Layton discovers an article in the paper that shows that Schrader is alive and recovering well from his exposure to the gas in the Elysian Box. The Unwound Future The story starts off on a bus in London, with the professor and Luke on their way to a watchmaker's shop, following the instructions of a very strange letter that had arrived for them. The letter was addressed to Layton asking for his help, for in the future, 10 years in the future, something terrible has happened. The letter is signed Luke Triton, indicating Future Luke is requesting their help. Layton at first thought Luke was playing a trick on him, but they decide the letter is legitimate, and Luke wonders what is in store for them on their next adventure. 'Stahngun's Time Machine' A week earlier, Layton and Luke went to a luncheon where a Dr. Stahngun had invited many of London's nobles to see his newest invention, the Time Machine. Stahngun had arranged for the prime minister, Bill Hawk, to be the first person to demonstrate the machine; Stahngun had set up a trap, however, causing the machine to 'explode' and leaving himself and Prime Minister Hawk nowhere to be found. The mystery makes the front page of the London Times, and Layton and Luke begin their journey. 'Lucky Casino Number 7' Following the instructions in the letter, they come to a watchmaker's shop. They enter the back room to see another Time Machine. The machine starts spinning, and after hearing a loud noise, Layton and Luke run outside to see that they are in a strange place. Through further investigation, they realize they are in London, 10 years into the future. As they walk around, Layton sees a mysterious woman walk past them who is identical to his dead sweetheart, Claire. He has a flashback, dating back ten years, of having dinner with her, and how he had nearly asked for her to marry him, but became embarrassed, put it off and quickly changed the subject. After continuous investigating, they arrive at Lucky Casino Number 7 (called the Gilded 7 in the American release). Inside they are greeted by Future Luke, who challenges Professor Layton to a puzzle battle to confirm his identity. Layton solves the puzzle, and Future Luke knows that it is the real Professor Layton. While they are catching up, a high-ranking member of a leading mafia called 'The Family' spots Layton, and has gunmen search the casino to shoot him. However, Layton and Future Luke manage to build, out of damaged slot machines ,a gun that shoots coins, and they send the villains packing. Soon after leaving the casino, Layton sees the Claire look-alike walking past them again. He chases after her around a corner, but she had vanished. Layton glimpses himself in a shop window and stares at his hat. He has another flashback, to the day that Claire died. Literally an hour before her death, as a present, she had given the hat to him, to celebrate him becoming a professor. It is the reason why he never takes it off; he promised her he wouldn't. 'Don Paolo's Return' Layton and Luke then go back to the watchmaker's shop where they are sent to the present. There they first go to Layton's Office at Gressenheller University to find some infomation in Layton's documents, where they meet Flora, who begs to come along with them. She goes to make some tea and cucumber sandwiches, and Layton and Luke quickly leave without her. They head off to Scotland Yard to ask Inspector Chelmey and his assistant Barton for assistance in finding Prime Minister Hawk, but Flora catches up with them, furious that they ran off behind her back. After arriving at the watchmaker's shop, Layton asks if he can have a moment to take Flora, Chelmey and Barton out. But the watchmaker simply says 'the more, the merrier!' and pulls the lever. They then are all sent back to Future London, shocking Inspector Chelmey. Chelmey and Barton go off to conduct their own investigation. Future Luke tells Layton that Future Layton lives somewhere in Chinatown. So they proceed to find the Future Professor Layton. To nobody's surprise, Future Layton lives at the top of the Towering Pagoda. Before they enter, Layton wanders off for unknown reasons for a few minutes, before coming back. After solving multiple puzzles, they reach the top floor. Future Professor Layton greets Professor Layton with a puzzle battle, in order to make sure he is not talking to an imposter. After solving the puzzle, Future Layton begins talking to present Layton. Professor Layton calls Future Layton an imposter, and Future Layton removes his hat and jacket, and reveals himself to be Dr. Stahngun, or his real identity as Dimitri Allen. Dimitri then snaps his fingers, and the bookcase begins to move. Behind it, is a chained, unconcious Prime Minister Hawk, Luke shouts, "You'll never get away with this!" And at another snap of his fingers, a massive cage made of giant spikes surronds Layton, Luke, Flora, and Future Luke. Dimitri runs off with the Prime Minister through a secret tunnel, and the group is trapped. Then Layton removes his top hat, and reveals himself to be Don Paolo. The true Professor Layton walks in and opens the cage for them. Another flashback appears, presumably for both Layton and Don Paolo. In the flashback is when Claire tells Layton that she loves him, and Don Paolo witnesses, which is why Don Paolo is the self-proclaimed enemy of Layton in the first place; he was jealous since he loved Claire too. They all go through the secret passage in search of Dimitri, but they are separated in the dark tunnel. 'Revelations' Layton, Luke, and Flora find a poster of The Thames Arms pub in the tunnel, and presume there may be clues there. Don Paulo refuses to go with Layton, and walks around on his own. When they arrive there, a talking rabbit named Subject 3 tells them of a secret laboratory under the River Thames. Layton, Luke, and Flora cross the sewers to find the laboratory. While investigating, they come across a huge door, but when figuring how to open it, the gang from the casino greets them with their huge guns. Being surrounded, Layton can't see a way to escape, but a mysterious woman grabs them through a secret door, and they are all saved from the gunshots anyway. Layton is shocked, as she is the Claire look-alike from earlier. He asks if she is Claire, despite knowing its not possible. She says her name is Celeste, and that she is Claire's little sister. The group runs back to The Thames Arms, where Inspector Chelmey, Barton, Future Luke, and Don Paolo are all gathered. Layton says he knows who the culprit is here, and begins explaining. He points to the bartender, revealing Dimitri's clever disguise. Dimitri tells Layton that the prime minister has been kidnapped from him by the gang from the casino. Layton then asks him about Claire, since the two of them were partners in a science project, the aim of which is unknown to Layton. Dimitri tells Layton that Claire, Bill Hawk, and himself were working on a time machine all those years ago. But he had discovered a massive error in their calculations, and was rushing back to the lab in his apartment to stop the experiment. But he was too late. It exploded in frount of him, and the fire was spreading. Dimitri ran inside to find Claire and Bill, and discovered that Claire was dead but Bill was still alive. Layton heard news of the explosion and ran to the scene, seeing that only Bill had survived. The flashback ends, and Layton tells everyone that they are not in Future London, but an artificial city built underneath London in a massive cavern. He tells them that the watchmaker's shop had a giant elevator built in, so they all were tricked into being brought to the fake city. Layton then concludes with an accusation, saying that Future Luke cannot be Future Luke since they are not in the future. 'Future Luke' at first denies it, but begins to laugh, and reveals himself to be Clive, and that he was the mastermind behind the plan. He says he tricked Dimitri into bringing the Prime Minister here, and that he is the boss of the gang. He claims that 'some may call it revenge, but I prefer to think of it as justice, over single-minded scientists and corrupt politicians.' Tired of explaining himself, Clive then grabs Flora, and takes her away as hostage. 'The Huge Weapon' Clive: '''Please, make yourselves comfortable. Sit back and relax. '' ''After all, you won't be leaving anytime soon. Take a good look at London, because this will be your last chance! '''- Clive to Layton as he begins to destroy London Layton and Luke run out of The Thames Arms to see Clive is getting away. He is off in a speed-boat with Flora, heading toward an old lighthouse. Then a huge weapon emerges from underneath the lighthouse in the Thames and begins shooting bombs at all the buildings in the fake city. Chelmey calls for help and the city starts being evacuated. Layton and Luke run to the Laytonmobile when Don Paolo tells Layton 'not to be afraid to flaw it'. Celeste says that she is coming too, but Layton says that they'll be fine. Layton and Luke speed off, and drive off a cliff and safely land onto the huge weapon. Layton speeds up the slopes of the Fortress, and parks near the top. While making their way to the very top to rescue Flora, they are greeted with the members of the Casino gang once again. They challenge Layton to a puzzle and say if he can solve it, they will not shoot. Layton solves the puzzle and they evacuate the machine. Layton and Luke find Flora in the CCTV room, and through all of the screens Clive tells Layton to have a good last look at London. With the fake London being completely destroyed, Clive's machine shoots grappling hooks onto the ceiling of the city. The ceiling collapses, and the ground of London falls through. The machine then climbs out of the underground city, and begins to destroy the real London. Layton and Luke don't know what to do, but then Celeste runs in saying that Don Paolo let her use his flying machine (from Curious Village) to get to the top of the machine, and that she knows how to stop Clive. They find the control panel along with Prime Minister Hawk. They disable the machine so it stops shooting at London, and free the prime minister. They reverse the flow of energy in the generator room, and the robot starts falling apart. They all climb into the Laytonmobile and drive off. They eventually drive off the machine itself, and start descending to their deaths, but Layton remembers that Don Paulo had made some "adjustments", and with a push of a button, wings and a propellor extend from the Laytonmobile. Don was watching them with his binoculars, and congratulates Layton. On their descent to the ground, Celeste feels compassionate for Clive and tells Layton she wants to rescue him too. Layton says it's too dangerous, but turns around anyway and flies back to the Fortress, where Celeste leaps out and into the machine. Layton lands and gets everybody out, and goes back. He manages to rescue Clive and Celeste, and brings them back down to the ground. 'Journey's End' "I know you. And I know you'll stay strong. After all, that's what a gentleman does. I must go now, Hershel. Thank you for everything. '' ''Goodbye." '- Claire's last words to Layton' Once they reach the ground, the prime minister quickly instructs the police to arrest Clive. Layton speaks with him before he is taken away. Clive tells Layton that the reason he has such a grudge against everyone is because 10 years ago, when the time machine experiment next door failed, he saw that his parent's apartment was on fire. He wanted to run inside to see if they were still alive, but Layton had stopped him (by slapping him - how nice!) saying it was too dangerous. Layton explains that the explosion that killed Clive's parents was the same one that killed his beloved Claire. Clive was driven to insanity by his parent's deaths and plotted revenge on all those associated with the explosion, who were, according to him, 'single-minded scientists and corrupt politicians'. The woman who had adopted him was very, very rich, and had passed her entire fortune down to him, enabling him to build Future London and the Fortress He tricked Dimitri to bring Prime Minister Hawk to the fake city knowing he could kill them both there. He knew Layton would investigate after recieving the letter, so he tried to take Layton's life in revenge from stopping him from running into his parent's apartment. He knew what he was doing was wrong, but he was driven by his hatred so far that he felt that he couldn't stop himself. Hawk has heard enough, and orders Clive to be thrown in jail immediately, and Clive tells Layton that he felt sorry for what he has done, and that he enjoyed the adventure with him and Luke. He promises, once he gets out of jail, that he will use the rest of his fortune to help society. Hawk laughs at Clive's sad story and feels no sorrow for funding the project that killed so many people. Layton then talks with Dimitri and Celeste, when Dimitri admits that Celeste is actually Claire (Chelmley confirms from police records that she never had any sisters). Dimitri tells Layton that he blamed himself for Claire's death, so he had spent the last 10 years working on the Time Machine to try to bring her back. When Clive told him of the future London, he was so impressed that he agreed to bring Bill Hawk. Dimitri says he was jealous of Layton since he loved Claire himself, but knew she belonged with Layton, and all he wanted was for her to be happy. Dimitri goes on his way and leaves Layton and Claire to be alone together. Claire tells Layton that she must go back in time, back to when they parted. She kisses him, and then turns to leave, but Layton shouts for her to wait. As she stops, a faint glow surrounds her body, showing the Time Machine was growing more and more unstable. Claire talks about all the plans they had, and that she will miss him and their 'unwound future'. Layton can't bear her leaving, and yells angrily "I don't want'' to say goodbye again! I can't! I won't!". Claire smiles. She says that she knows him, and she knows that he will 'stay strong, as that is what a gentleman does'. She gives a final goodbye and walks off down an alleyway. Luke runs after her, only to find that she had vanished. After losing the love of his life a second time, Layton looks toward the sky, takes his hat off, and weeps. Personality, Interests, and Skills Layton is an English gentleman. He is incredibly brave and intelligent. When he solves a puzzle incorrectly, Layton becomes embarrassed. His pride and joy is the Laytonmobile, his car, customized with a high roof, because "a gentleman should never take his hat off." (even though a comment made in Curious Village contradicts this) Layton also believes that "one should always put a lady's needs first." Because of a supposed old rivalry, Don Paolo constantly clashes with Layton, even though Layton says himself that he doesn't know why Don Paolo hates him, and that he had never met Don before. He nevertheless treats Don Paolo respectfully and, in Professor Layton and the Unwound Future, usually addresses him by his real name of Paul. Layton constantly keeps a cool head and is polite to everyone he meets. He is extremely fond of Luke, the son of one of his closest friends, and various theories have suggested that he may actually be Luke's uncle or godfather. He is also a devoted parent figure to Flora, whom he unofficially adopts following the events of Curious Village; his journal in "Unwound Future" reflects a strong desire to keep her safe, hence always leaving her behind. The only time in the entire series that Layton is seen to become truly angry is when Clive kidnaps her, and he expressly states that rescuing her is his first priority, even over saving London. Wow, thats some dedication! A classic picturesque gentleman, he has a great love for tea, and an even greater love for puzzles. In Professor Layton and the Diabolical Box, Layton shows a hidden talent for fencing and professes a side interest in locomotives. He is a professor of archaeology at Gressenheller University, where part of Unwound Future takes place; the scenes there show that he is highly regarded by both his colleagues and his students. A scene in Professor Layton and the Eternal Diva shows that his class is a very popular one. Appearance Layton's most remarkable acessory is a black top hat with a red brim, which only leaves his head at very special occasions. He is first seen without his hat on at the end of Professor Layton and the Unwound Future, when he takes it off out of respect for Claire. His hair isn't too neat for such a gentleman. Images Layton.jpg|Professor Layton and Luke PL1Profile01.png|Profile in ''the Curious Village PL2Profile01.png|Profile in the Diabolical Box PL3Profile01.png|Profile 1 in the Unwound Future PL3Profile84.png|Profile 2 in the Unwound Future professor-layton-and-the-mask-of-miracle-20101019094603344.jpg|Hershel Layton, 17 years old. Young Layton.PNG|Young Professor Layton (Age: 27) Professor Layton Curious Village Concept Art 1.PNG|Concept art of Professor Layton. Layton already knows....png|Layton smiles when he realizes who/what the Golden Apple is. DB Layton - 'No Luke! Let him go!'.PNG|''"No, Luke! Let him go!"'' - Scene from the Diabolical Box laytonflora.png|A relieved Layton embracing Flora after her abduction by Clive Professor Layton's Class.PNG|The students in Professor Layton's archaeology class. Young Layton and Claire.PNG|Young Layton and Claire. Hershel and Claire (Smaller Version).PNG|Young Layton and Claire together. Quotes "Another puzzle solved." "Critical thinking is the key to success." '' ''"Well I suppose I thought wrong" "Every puzzle has an answer." "A true gentleman leaves no puzzle unsolved." '' ''"Consider this puzzle solved!" "Frankly, I'm ashamed." "Well, I suppose that's one possibility eliminated." "That's what a gentleman does!" "A gentleman treats a lady with kindness and respect!" "Would you like a cup of tea?" "And now to test my theory." "Oh...My. This one is quite formidable." "This should do the trick." "And there we have it!" "Oh...Well...I suppose you can't win them all." "Hah! Wonderful!" "Few things satisfy like a puzzle solved." "I've got a good feeling about this one. "Let's see if I got this right." "Just as I suspected." "Well, that's settled." "Oh...I was pretty sure my logic was sound." Trivia * He is voiced by famous actor and VA Christopher Robin Miller. Miller also voiced Inspector Chelmey and Don Paolo. * While battling Anton, Layton's hat leaves his head for a split second, although the top of his head is not visible due to him ducking. * It also seems that Layton is a skilled swordsman/fencer as he is able to hold his own against Anton. This is also seen in the battle against Jean Descole in the Eternal Diva. * When Luke Triton touches Flora's hands in her portrait, Layton says "Are you shaking hands with the painting?". * Professor Layton tucks his hat down over his eyes in embarassment whenever he fails a puzzle. * In a commercial for Professor Layton and the Eternal Diva, Layton's archaeology students are briefly shown. * In Professor Layton and the Diabolical Box, Layton's choice of tea is the Belle Classic (Citrus Classic) since he prefers his tea bitter. * Professor Layton and the Unwound Future is, so far, the only game in which the professor takes off his hat, remembering Claire. You see another shot, after the credits, in which his hat is taken off as he stares out his window after his finishes a puzzle Luke had sent him. * In Professor Layton and the Unwound Future, when you click on the hat on the crate in Layton's study, Layton responds that "a gentleman always keeps an extra spare". * In Professor Layton and the Mask of Miracles homepage, a bit of Layton's past is shared. His friend in high school motivated him to become an archaeologist, despite not being interested in it at first. * In Professor Layton and the Eternal Diva, Layton is shown playing the piano. Resources *Professor Layton Mask of Miracles Image (IGN.com) *Professor Layton and the Mask of Miracles Homepage (Japanese) *Professor Layton vs Phoenix Wright Homepage (Japanese) de:Hershel Layton Hershel Layton Hershel Layton Hershel Layton Hershel Layton Hershel Layton Hershel Layton Hershel Layton